Hello:
We are back in Canada. Camped at Riverview camp just north of London ON. We arrived back on April 28th...surviving the detours on I 75 and then the horrible mangle of lanes of construction up to the International Bridge. I would not wise that route on my worst enemy!! We did get to Wheatley where we had booked a spot over the winter but prices had changed which we knew would happen. We were just surprised at the amount and decided to move on. There was space at Riverview where we stayed last Aug. We are close to London and appts and our storage. So we have booked in for the season which is until Oct. Our first experience of a seasonal stay...we like this camp very much and we are parked up on the hill between people that we met last summer. There was a warm welcome from the owners and neighbours even though the nights have been cold to me.
Catch up:
When we had settled at the camp on the Brandywine river, I phoned an old family friend of mine who lives in New Jersey. We arranged a visit...which was wonderful...to catch up on news and revisit childhood memories was delighful. Sharing time together and food and laughter felt so good.
In Penn, we explored Kennett Square where we wandered into 'The Mushroom Cap' store which has many varieties of mushrooms and a small museum of the local history of growing mushrooms. This was very interesting for my husband whose family were involved in this industry from the beginning. The lady in the store helped us contact a gentleman who is very distantly related to my husband and was a third generation mushroom grower. A lunch meeting was arranged later in the week at the Kennett Inn owned by Steve Warner. I recommend the Kennett Inn which served excellent food and had a relaxing atmosphere.We also stopped into Mrs. Robinson's Tea Shop which had a fabulous selection of loose teas and a wonderful sales lady who was quite the story teller.
We drove around the Brandywine Valley...so so pretty....rolling hills...lovely farms and turning a curve you could see vistas filled with fresh green fields, flowering trees and the Brandywine River twisting about through the trees. We also visited the London Grove meeting and the cemetary where many of my husband's family are buried. The Penn Oak, an oak tree over 300 yrs old, is still flourishing and the grounds are so peaceful.
We visited Swarthmore College which is a Quaker college and houses the Friends Historical Library where some family records and archives are kept. I was delighted to learn that all of the grounds of the college is an arberetum. Trees and plants all with signs and walking tours outlined at the visitors center. The staff at the Library were so helpful. My husband found a journal he was looking for written by his great great great Grandfather and a surprising collection of family pictures. I did some research for a story. Afterward as we drove back to camp we stopped at the Brandywine River Museum to view some Wyeth paintings by different members of the Wyeth family. Lovely exhibits in a great museum on the river. We did not have enough time to really take things in.
We packed for the return trip to Canada. Then took off on a local drive on some back roads along the Brandywine river on a pure spring afternoon to stop and take pictures. Caught a mother Canada goose escorting her new babies onto the river...about 8 of them with papa swimming close by. Wonderful drive with many surprises around the bends.
I found it hard to leave this area.
Oh we delayed travel a day due to the snowfall in the mountains...camped at a Flying J in the mountains...BRRR twas a cold night with no heater on!! Next night we stopped at a KoA near Toledo...madevery welcome...early stop...relaxing getting off the road. Good camp and not far from the border. Odd feelings of a travel season ending for us.
I have described the horrors of driving to the border...I was so upset that it took me awhile to realize we were back in Canada!! Stopping at Tim Hortons for lunch helped the adjustment.
We have been settling in at River View camp ground. Going for our medical appts and connecting with family and friends again. The temps are colder than I am used to but the leaves are coming out...the birds are nesting. We have also been to storage where we are starting to deal with reducing our 'stuff'...nightmare task. My husband and I walked a forest trail here and saw clusters of trilliums!!! Lovely spring plants coming up. Ah we also stopped at a local nursery and bought some pansies for our site.
So we are back in our old stomping grounds looking at things with new eyes...seeing changes and appreciating things that are the same. Adventures are still possible...there are curves in the road and discoveries to be made. Friends close by and time to share some air with them.
Sunshine & Laughter
Anne
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Camped beside the Brandywine River, Pa.
Hello from Chester Co. Pa.
We arrived yesterday after a busy time viewing many sites in Washington DC.
We decided to revisit this area of Pa which is just outside Philadelphia because my husband's family landed here in 1700's and helped start one of the early Quaker meeting houses. We also hope to drive to NJ to visit a dear friend of my mother's. Our stop here is for 11 days.
Catch up:
March 24: attended another Gullah event at the Pinckney House...a storytelling event with Aunt Pearlie Sue. It was fun and delightful and moving. A wonderful teller who connected with all of us...no matter where we were from. Then that evening attended the Snowbird Potluck or Pass the dish (?) at the Mt Pleasant KOA...so good to gather with campers again and exchange stories and good wishes. The camp provided a fabulous cake...road decorations and all. Great food and warm hugs.A fitting way to end the winter travel season.
March 26: final lunch with our Temis friend before she drove back to Canada.Hard saying goodbye. In the aft we flew kites but the wind was iffy.
Mar 27: Said goodbye to neighbours who are heading north. We worked on domestic tasks and the rv engine.
March 28:even though I wasn't feeling that well we drove into Charleston and walked the Legare street loop. lovely walk into the Unitarian cemetery...so beautiful and calm. Many of the houses were being prepped for the Garden & House tours...the flowers were out...it was a long walk but gorgeous. We lunched at Eli's Table on the patio this time. Then we walked to the waterfront park near the cruise ships. Our last day in Charleston and a very good one. We did take lots of pics....but I need help posting them.soon?
March 29: some packing and tidying up then we drove to the beach (Isle of Palms) and flew kites in very heavy winds!!! The 25-30 miles an hr and my big kite with laundry was too much as I discovered while driving the next 2 days and even a couple of weeks later...my arms still hurt. The beach was so glorious to be on...we stayed out longer than usual and then had dinner at Coconut Joe's looking at the activity on the beach and the sunset. Great goodbye to this area of Carolina.
Mar 30: departed Mt Pleasant...sad to say goodbye to the manager and staff...we have been made to feel at home again here. Wish them a good season. We drove north on the hwy...traffic getting busier and busier with many many rvs heading home. My arms were sore and I was tired. We departed at 9 am and arrived at Enfield KOA about 5:30 pm. This KOA is just off I95 and there were at least 7 rvs ahead of us to book in...quite the overnight stop for heading north ...couldn't figure why else someone would camp there. Lots of traffic noise but we were safely off the road. So much pollen on my car...my husband is bothered by the high count still. In the morning as we prepped to leave and I used the restrooms...there was so much moisture I almost slipped just walking into the room.
Mar 31: Continued to the Lothian camp...Duncan's family camp just outside Washington DC. We got off the I95 at a hwy 301 or 307...that headed right by our camp and kept us from driving the beltway around Washington...which I remember doing last yr and it was so stressful...so our drive was slower and more direct. Had lunch in a CVS pking lot...my arms were so so sore. We arrived at Duncan's Camp about 3 pm. Whew the temps are much colder than we have been used to but the site we have is at the end of a row and looks out on trees.
Apr 1 we rested and settled into the camp.
Apr 2 we drove to the Metro station...parked the car and bought Smartcards which would be easy to use on the Washington subway and pay for parking on the return. This set a pattern each day (almost) of driving in to parking lot and taking the subway to downtown Washington DC. All the tourist info recommends this way of visiting the city...it was so comfortable and timely...we drove for 30 mins ..parked and then took a 25 min subway train ride into the center of DC....then we walked and walked and visited as much of the Smithsonian buildings as we could ...for 8 days...there is so so much to see at the Smithsonian...there were busloads of students and tourists also visiting!!! The 100th Cherry Blossom Festival was on...we did get to some events but the blossoms had happened already. We also were in Washington on Easter Monday...oh my...the families visiting sites after going to the White House Easter egg roll...and yes I smelled chocolate strongly as we walked by the White House. We also visited a few Art Galleries and the Martin Luther King Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial. I found it humbling to visit the Memorials...to actually be in those spaces and to think of these men and their lives.
It was a very packed 2 weeks in the Washington DC area. We enjoyed the visit...I was anxious to be around so many young children all of a sudden...they weren't worried at bumping into someone but I was feeling fragile as we walked about.We did use a wheelchair for me a few times in the National Art Gallery which eased some strain on my legs. Strong memories of wheeling my mother around galleries years ago. I also noted such a different view of the art from the wheelchair!
Loved the Smithsonian!!!
April 14th We departed Duncan's camp about 10 am and took small hwys up to Annapolis...over the bridge to the penninsula and then north into Pennsylvannia...we stopped for lunch at a picnic table by a lake...so peaceful...the Canada goose was sleeping on the water. We crossed the Sassafrass River and the Bohemia River on this scenic drive. We arrived here at about 2 pm...a camp we first saw about 8 yrs ago. It is on the Brandywine river and we are tucked into a hillside with trees and birds and views. There is a Hobbity feeling to this area for me.
We are near Kennett Square and West Chester where my husband's family first settled. The country has rolling hills...lovely villages and my husband is breathing a little easier.
Sunshine & Laughter
Hugs
Anne
We arrived yesterday after a busy time viewing many sites in Washington DC.
We decided to revisit this area of Pa which is just outside Philadelphia because my husband's family landed here in 1700's and helped start one of the early Quaker meeting houses. We also hope to drive to NJ to visit a dear friend of my mother's. Our stop here is for 11 days.
Catch up:
March 24: attended another Gullah event at the Pinckney House...a storytelling event with Aunt Pearlie Sue. It was fun and delightful and moving. A wonderful teller who connected with all of us...no matter where we were from. Then that evening attended the Snowbird Potluck or Pass the dish (?) at the Mt Pleasant KOA...so good to gather with campers again and exchange stories and good wishes. The camp provided a fabulous cake...road decorations and all. Great food and warm hugs.A fitting way to end the winter travel season.
March 26: final lunch with our Temis friend before she drove back to Canada.Hard saying goodbye. In the aft we flew kites but the wind was iffy.
Mar 27: Said goodbye to neighbours who are heading north. We worked on domestic tasks and the rv engine.
March 28:even though I wasn't feeling that well we drove into Charleston and walked the Legare street loop. lovely walk into the Unitarian cemetery...so beautiful and calm. Many of the houses were being prepped for the Garden & House tours...the flowers were out...it was a long walk but gorgeous. We lunched at Eli's Table on the patio this time. Then we walked to the waterfront park near the cruise ships. Our last day in Charleston and a very good one. We did take lots of pics....but I need help posting them.soon?
March 29: some packing and tidying up then we drove to the beach (Isle of Palms) and flew kites in very heavy winds!!! The 25-30 miles an hr and my big kite with laundry was too much as I discovered while driving the next 2 days and even a couple of weeks later...my arms still hurt. The beach was so glorious to be on...we stayed out longer than usual and then had dinner at Coconut Joe's looking at the activity on the beach and the sunset. Great goodbye to this area of Carolina.
Mar 30: departed Mt Pleasant...sad to say goodbye to the manager and staff...we have been made to feel at home again here. Wish them a good season. We drove north on the hwy...traffic getting busier and busier with many many rvs heading home. My arms were sore and I was tired. We departed at 9 am and arrived at Enfield KOA about 5:30 pm. This KOA is just off I95 and there were at least 7 rvs ahead of us to book in...quite the overnight stop for heading north ...couldn't figure why else someone would camp there. Lots of traffic noise but we were safely off the road. So much pollen on my car...my husband is bothered by the high count still. In the morning as we prepped to leave and I used the restrooms...there was so much moisture I almost slipped just walking into the room.
Mar 31: Continued to the Lothian camp...Duncan's family camp just outside Washington DC. We got off the I95 at a hwy 301 or 307...that headed right by our camp and kept us from driving the beltway around Washington...which I remember doing last yr and it was so stressful...so our drive was slower and more direct. Had lunch in a CVS pking lot...my arms were so so sore. We arrived at Duncan's Camp about 3 pm. Whew the temps are much colder than we have been used to but the site we have is at the end of a row and looks out on trees.
Apr 1 we rested and settled into the camp.
Apr 2 we drove to the Metro station...parked the car and bought Smartcards which would be easy to use on the Washington subway and pay for parking on the return. This set a pattern each day (almost) of driving in to parking lot and taking the subway to downtown Washington DC. All the tourist info recommends this way of visiting the city...it was so comfortable and timely...we drove for 30 mins ..parked and then took a 25 min subway train ride into the center of DC....then we walked and walked and visited as much of the Smithsonian buildings as we could ...for 8 days...there is so so much to see at the Smithsonian...there were busloads of students and tourists also visiting!!! The 100th Cherry Blossom Festival was on...we did get to some events but the blossoms had happened already. We also were in Washington on Easter Monday...oh my...the families visiting sites after going to the White House Easter egg roll...and yes I smelled chocolate strongly as we walked by the White House. We also visited a few Art Galleries and the Martin Luther King Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial. I found it humbling to visit the Memorials...to actually be in those spaces and to think of these men and their lives.
It was a very packed 2 weeks in the Washington DC area. We enjoyed the visit...I was anxious to be around so many young children all of a sudden...they weren't worried at bumping into someone but I was feeling fragile as we walked about.We did use a wheelchair for me a few times in the National Art Gallery which eased some strain on my legs. Strong memories of wheeling my mother around galleries years ago. I also noted such a different view of the art from the wheelchair!
Loved the Smithsonian!!!
April 14th We departed Duncan's camp about 10 am and took small hwys up to Annapolis...over the bridge to the penninsula and then north into Pennsylvannia...we stopped for lunch at a picnic table by a lake...so peaceful...the Canada goose was sleeping on the water. We crossed the Sassafrass River and the Bohemia River on this scenic drive. We arrived here at about 2 pm...a camp we first saw about 8 yrs ago. It is on the Brandywine river and we are tucked into a hillside with trees and birds and views. There is a Hobbity feeling to this area for me.
We are near Kennett Square and West Chester where my husband's family first settled. The country has rolling hills...lovely villages and my husband is breathing a little easier.
Sunshine & Laughter
Hugs
Anne
Friday, March 23, 2012
4th day of Spring
Hello from hot, sunny and thunder stormy South Carolina.
Catch up;
Wed Mar 14th - we went to Coconut Joe's at Isle of Palms for lunch with rv friends from last year. Great time! Then we drove further down the Isle to where we like to kite and got up our kites and some 'laundry'. Fun aft. That evening we had a campfire at our friend's cabin here and viewed a fab sunset...(yes we have pics!) Other friends dropped by during the evening ...it was so good to share stories and the firelight. oh and my hubby (the fire man starter) got the camp fire to show different colours...so a great evening.
Thurs Mar 15th-my husband woke with allergic reactions to the high pollen counts here! We went shopping for meds. We also stopped by the Sweetgrass weaver, Marie Rouse, on Hwy 17. This is the lady I had talked to before. It was lovely to hear her storys and she did sign the book I had which is about the history of Sweetgrass baskets and the makers. Her mother is in there and she told me about her mother a little. We bought 2 small baskets...our rv is a small living space. I liked one and my husband liked another. I wish Marie Rouse a wonderful season for selling her baskets...her stall is on Hwy 17 just in front of the Walgrens Pharma store so it is easy to drive in and park and get to her stall. So much construction is going on that many of the stalls are not easy to get to right now. We didn't have our camera so we said we would come back for pictures of her.
Fri Mar 16th - we drove into Charleston...parked on Hasell street...and walked up to the Tourist info place which was about 6 or 7 big city blocks. We walked up Meeting St and back down Elizabeth and then Anson St. I fell in love with Charleston all over again!!! We had a lovely lunch at Tbonz Gill & Grill on 80 N. Market St. I asked the hostess for a lunch suggestion and she mentioned a certain salad...excellent. We walked the market...ducking into shops...I looked into Key West Hat Co on Market st where I had purchased a hat last yr...ooooo...they were just putting up some colourful concoctions for Easter. Charleston does have a Ladies Hat Society and an Easter Hat Parade (unfortunately we won't be here in April). We then went back to the kite store we like called Kites Fly'n Hi, 40 N Market St in the Rainbow market. We chatted to the owner about our year of flying and looked at his stock. Peter bought a kite ...meanwhile I had drifted into a leather store, Market Leather of Charleston where I saw just the bag I'd been looking for yrs...it had some scrapes and was knocked down in price...it had character to start with! Then we discovered a fab puzzle & game store called Turtle Creek at 84 N Market St...tons of fun all over the store and the neatest wooden puzzles. check them out at http://www.puzzleboxguy.com/ . We headed back to the rv..tired and happy...a different day than we had planned but fun. It rained and thundered back at camp.
Sat Mar 17th -we stayed in camp. I did a lassive laundry load and my husband worked on the engine of rv. It was sunny and hot. For St Patrick's day I had a Guinness with dinner.
Sun Mar 18th-we flew kites...my husband got the new one flying but the weather was changing so we returned to camp before the heavy storm hit. His allergies were bad that night.
Mon Mar 19th- domestic tasks... discussions about our next camp... lots of research and then we booked into a Penn KOA....grocery shopping. The weather was HOT and sunny.
Tues Mar 20th - The first day of Spring....we drove into Charleston...parked in the lot on Hasell St and then did the Loop of a walking tour which includes Meeting St., the Battery then Church st. The weather was perfect...the houses and gardens were being prepped for the upcoming Garden tour. We took lots of pics. The flowers on shrubs were out...such colours...the wisteria was drooping over everything. We walked down a very narrow lane to the Battery...getting such a sense of the old town. You just couldn't rush down any street...so many houses had plaques...and we had our walking tour book with us. You also had to keep a close eye on the walkways...some were very humpy...old old trees's roots had shaped the brick or stone work. The metal gate work is famous and it was a delight to view so many different patterns. The park, White Point Gardens, at the mid point in our walk...was full of regal live oaks and blossoming Azalea shrubs and possibly jasmine flowers...there even may have been camellias...the flowers are out early and such a variety. The walk was very long for me...and as we got back into the Market area I needed to eat. I spotted some people looking at a menu at Eli's Table at 129 Meeting St...right beside the Gibbes Museum! So we decided to lunch there and then view the museum which was on our list of places to see because it is also part of our membership package we purchased in Fl. The lunch was very good...I had fried green tomatoes with my sandwich and good hot tea. It was also delightful to see the 'business' people in Charleston come for lunch here. We were impressed at the Gibbes Museum...it is an old establishment even for Charleston...it has promoted local artists and provided studio space as well. Their collections of art may not dazzle for some people used to European collections but I found the Alfred Hutty exhibit very well presented and a thorough display of his life's work. We each liked different artists. A lovely aft of enjoying art and learning about new artists.I enjoyed the work of Alice Ravenel Huger Smith (1876-1958). We dropped into the hat store...I bought a straw hat on sale which is dressy and makes me feel I am in Charleston! We bought 2 small kites...one a surprise for me. On the drive back to camp we stopped and got some pictures of Marie Rouse who makes such fine sweetgrass baskets. A fantastically happy day!!!
Wed Mar 21- up with a heavy dew...we drove to the Isle of Palms and I flew a new kite...my first 2 hander...2 lines...whew...there were storm clouds off shore and some gusty winds...it was a thrill...needing totally new muscles and skills...feeling the wind change and getting the kite to change positions...wow...so exciting. I could hear my kite really 'sing' in some of the strong winds...and my husband's tiny kite was fast and fun...when I took pics of it on the ground it reminded me of a cat flicking it's tail wanting to spring up again. Such fun though I did bang my kite into the ground at the start...thankfully it is a soft kite. We have pics.
We did get the mail we were hoping for...from overseas. Back at the rv a light dinner and watched tv. Boy, fresh sea air can tire you out.
Thurs Mar22 -We booked another future rv camp..lunched here and then went for a drive. We walked the pier at the Mount Pleasant Tourist centre...so pretty..the views and a little park attached. There are swing seats and sea smells...we watched a regatta in progress and the tide come in. We then drove around Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms and back to rv. Then a light dinner and I stayed up very late watching a movie.
Fri Mar 23 - we are still checking off a to do list before we head north to Washington DC. We also shopped at our fave bakery for special bread for the supper the KOA is putting on as a farewell to the Snowbirds in the camp. Many of us will be heading north soon and a new season begins in the south. Ah the winds are picking up outside...the clouds are stacked very high and fluffy with dark clouds below...I feel the sea in the air...the leaves are greening and my poor husband still has allergy problems.
Oh we did stop to take a pic on our return to camp this aft...I wanted one of me beneath the street sign which spells my 'maiden' name. Apparently that family name is prominent here within the Gullah population.
Wishing you all a fine spring weekend.
Sunshine & laughter
Anne
Catch up;
Wed Mar 14th - we went to Coconut Joe's at Isle of Palms for lunch with rv friends from last year. Great time! Then we drove further down the Isle to where we like to kite and got up our kites and some 'laundry'. Fun aft. That evening we had a campfire at our friend's cabin here and viewed a fab sunset...(yes we have pics!) Other friends dropped by during the evening ...it was so good to share stories and the firelight. oh and my hubby (the fire man starter) got the camp fire to show different colours...so a great evening.
Thurs Mar 15th-my husband woke with allergic reactions to the high pollen counts here! We went shopping for meds. We also stopped by the Sweetgrass weaver, Marie Rouse, on Hwy 17. This is the lady I had talked to before. It was lovely to hear her storys and she did sign the book I had which is about the history of Sweetgrass baskets and the makers. Her mother is in there and she told me about her mother a little. We bought 2 small baskets...our rv is a small living space. I liked one and my husband liked another. I wish Marie Rouse a wonderful season for selling her baskets...her stall is on Hwy 17 just in front of the Walgrens Pharma store so it is easy to drive in and park and get to her stall. So much construction is going on that many of the stalls are not easy to get to right now. We didn't have our camera so we said we would come back for pictures of her.
Fri Mar 16th - we drove into Charleston...parked on Hasell street...and walked up to the Tourist info place which was about 6 or 7 big city blocks. We walked up Meeting St and back down Elizabeth and then Anson St. I fell in love with Charleston all over again!!! We had a lovely lunch at Tbonz Gill & Grill on 80 N. Market St. I asked the hostess for a lunch suggestion and she mentioned a certain salad...excellent. We walked the market...ducking into shops...I looked into Key West Hat Co on Market st where I had purchased a hat last yr...ooooo...they were just putting up some colourful concoctions for Easter. Charleston does have a Ladies Hat Society and an Easter Hat Parade (unfortunately we won't be here in April). We then went back to the kite store we like called Kites Fly'n Hi, 40 N Market St in the Rainbow market. We chatted to the owner about our year of flying and looked at his stock. Peter bought a kite ...meanwhile I had drifted into a leather store, Market Leather of Charleston where I saw just the bag I'd been looking for yrs...it had some scrapes and was knocked down in price...it had character to start with! Then we discovered a fab puzzle & game store called Turtle Creek at 84 N Market St...tons of fun all over the store and the neatest wooden puzzles. check them out at http://www.puzzleboxguy.com/ . We headed back to the rv..tired and happy...a different day than we had planned but fun. It rained and thundered back at camp.
Sat Mar 17th -we stayed in camp. I did a lassive laundry load and my husband worked on the engine of rv. It was sunny and hot. For St Patrick's day I had a Guinness with dinner.
Sun Mar 18th-we flew kites...my husband got the new one flying but the weather was changing so we returned to camp before the heavy storm hit. His allergies were bad that night.
Mon Mar 19th- domestic tasks... discussions about our next camp... lots of research and then we booked into a Penn KOA....grocery shopping. The weather was HOT and sunny.
Tues Mar 20th - The first day of Spring....we drove into Charleston...parked in the lot on Hasell St and then did the Loop of a walking tour which includes Meeting St., the Battery then Church st. The weather was perfect...the houses and gardens were being prepped for the upcoming Garden tour. We took lots of pics. The flowers on shrubs were out...such colours...the wisteria was drooping over everything. We walked down a very narrow lane to the Battery...getting such a sense of the old town. You just couldn't rush down any street...so many houses had plaques...and we had our walking tour book with us. You also had to keep a close eye on the walkways...some were very humpy...old old trees's roots had shaped the brick or stone work. The metal gate work is famous and it was a delight to view so many different patterns. The park, White Point Gardens, at the mid point in our walk...was full of regal live oaks and blossoming Azalea shrubs and possibly jasmine flowers...there even may have been camellias...the flowers are out early and such a variety. The walk was very long for me...and as we got back into the Market area I needed to eat. I spotted some people looking at a menu at Eli's Table at 129 Meeting St...right beside the Gibbes Museum! So we decided to lunch there and then view the museum which was on our list of places to see because it is also part of our membership package we purchased in Fl. The lunch was very good...I had fried green tomatoes with my sandwich and good hot tea. It was also delightful to see the 'business' people in Charleston come for lunch here. We were impressed at the Gibbes Museum...it is an old establishment even for Charleston...it has promoted local artists and provided studio space as well. Their collections of art may not dazzle for some people used to European collections but I found the Alfred Hutty exhibit very well presented and a thorough display of his life's work. We each liked different artists. A lovely aft of enjoying art and learning about new artists.I enjoyed the work of Alice Ravenel Huger Smith (1876-1958). We dropped into the hat store...I bought a straw hat on sale which is dressy and makes me feel I am in Charleston! We bought 2 small kites...one a surprise for me. On the drive back to camp we stopped and got some pictures of Marie Rouse who makes such fine sweetgrass baskets. A fantastically happy day!!!
Wed Mar 21- up with a heavy dew...we drove to the Isle of Palms and I flew a new kite...my first 2 hander...2 lines...whew...there were storm clouds off shore and some gusty winds...it was a thrill...needing totally new muscles and skills...feeling the wind change and getting the kite to change positions...wow...so exciting. I could hear my kite really 'sing' in some of the strong winds...and my husband's tiny kite was fast and fun...when I took pics of it on the ground it reminded me of a cat flicking it's tail wanting to spring up again. Such fun though I did bang my kite into the ground at the start...thankfully it is a soft kite. We have pics.
We did get the mail we were hoping for...from overseas. Back at the rv a light dinner and watched tv. Boy, fresh sea air can tire you out.
Thurs Mar22 -We booked another future rv camp..lunched here and then went for a drive. We walked the pier at the Mount Pleasant Tourist centre...so pretty..the views and a little park attached. There are swing seats and sea smells...we watched a regatta in progress and the tide come in. We then drove around Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms and back to rv. Then a light dinner and I stayed up very late watching a movie.
Fri Mar 23 - we are still checking off a to do list before we head north to Washington DC. We also shopped at our fave bakery for special bread for the supper the KOA is putting on as a farewell to the Snowbirds in the camp. Many of us will be heading north soon and a new season begins in the south. Ah the winds are picking up outside...the clouds are stacked very high and fluffy with dark clouds below...I feel the sea in the air...the leaves are greening and my poor husband still has allergy problems.
Oh we did stop to take a pic on our return to camp this aft...I wanted one of me beneath the street sign which spells my 'maiden' name. Apparently that family name is prominent here within the Gullah population.
Wishing you all a fine spring weekend.
Sunshine & laughter
Anne
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Kiting at Isle of Palms
We went to Coconut Joe's for lunch on the beach ...catching up on news with our friends from last year. Then we drove further down the beach to fly our kites and our friends went for a walk. It was warm and sunny. Waves pounding in and a slightly strong wind. I got my box kite to dip and hug the ground sideways...it felt so good just to 'play'.
We are going over to our friend's cabin for a campfire and food tonight.
A lovely day...life is very good.
Sunshine & Laughter
Anne
We are going over to our friend's cabin for a campfire and food tonight.
A lovely day...life is very good.
Sunshine & Laughter
Anne
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Catch up continued from Mount Pleasant/Charleston KOA
I am back...a short dash to a mall.
I have noticed with seniors since my husband has retired...there is a major activity we all do...shop!! I am not talking about spending tons of money....please....I am talking about the simple action of 'shopping'...getting around the stores...reading ALL the labels...checking and rechecking the shopping list...and then the let us say having 'drifting ' moments...where I am caught up in going down one aisle and then my attention gets diverted and when I pause to consider what I am doing I have forgotten what I wanted to pick up in the first place...NOW you would think that shopping with a partner and a list would help! Hah! But it does end occasionally with a delightful purchase.
Thank you for listening to my rant.
Catch cont' in Mexico Beach FL about late Feb:
One walk along the beach was very full of loud waves crashing on the sand. We were told that that is a good time to collect shells...so we went back to the beach a bit later and collected shells. We had our rubber boots on...it felt fun to walk along the water with the boots on...though my husband got intrigued with some shells under the water and a wave came up and said 'hello' into his boot! He scooped and I picked...then I cleaned and sorted the shells back at the camp ground. Some neighbours came over to talk to me because I'd been 'sick' and not socializing very much. It was a lovely aft...and great fun to learn about the shells.. One kind gentleman who collects many shells gave me a special type of sand dollar shell...so fragile and beautiful.
We had pizza with our friends and shared stories and travel information. It was so good to be with them again. Then there was laundry, the Oscars and more rain. Our friends gave us a wonderful final dinner ...fab home cooking...before we left for Charleston. We will be seeing them back in Canada later in the spring.
On Feb 29th...Leap day...we departed Rustic Sands heading toward Jacksonville taking hwys 71 then 20 and then 10...at Jacksonville we took the bypass and then got onto Hwy 95 and when we crossed into Georgia we took exit 1 to County Oaks Campground( a Good Sam park). A lovely camp...very dog friendly and restful. We had camped there last yr over night...we got a pizza (brochures in office)..an excellent pizza and watched a movie.
On March 1st we headed north on Hwy I 95. We stopped for lunch in Savannah. This city had been recommended as a stop by many people. We knew it was a short stop...but we managed to tour of the Owens-Thomas House and then went to see the Jepson Museum. The town squares are enchanting...old treed oasis (es) within a busy city. The sidewalks are OLD thus very uneven...every building oozes stories. I got a story 'fix' buying "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil"...it is a LOL book that tickles all the senses so far. It is a place I have to see again. Oh and on the way back to the car (we did not tkae the rv downtown!!)we saw a gallery: Liquid Sands Glass Gallery http://www.liquidsandsglassgallery.com/ A feast for the eyes and the heart! Of course we had to go inside and explore.
We then drove north...oh and as we departed Savannah...I see a small black thing bouce out from under the rv ahead of me.... the road was bumpy... and we just could not stop so I told my husband over the cb we have and we kept driving. We took a smaller road for a while then the hwy and then we took hwy 17 to Charleston. We got to the bypass here when traffic was increasing near the end of business day....then our GPS was sending us one road...then it said to turn around and go back on the bypass...we pulled over and had a right 'fit'. Made a decision...at times making any decision gets you down the road...we did drive what seemed a long long way...but we came out to another busy road and recognized where we were in Mount Pleasant and the KOA had good signs and we were close. Arrived at KOA about 6 ish pm! Warmly welcomed by staff and friends we had met last yr!
First day here , I rushed off to the Gullah event at Pinckney park and then in the evening there was a potluck for our friend who isn't staying in camp this year but she visits. We have kept in touch all year and it was so so good to see her again! It was good to catch up on news with many others at the camp as well. Great night was had!
We met a Canadian couple staying for a week...so many things to share and laughs. The night of the full Moon we all went to a local restaurant recommended by the manager here at the KOA..it is called the See Wee Restaurant. We liked it very much. I had shrimp seasoned the way they like to do it. Spicey (mmm) but so good and collards and red rice! It was a great evening.
As we settled into camp, planning our next moves and researching places and things to see...I checked out John McCutcheon's site ..he is a fab musician and storyteller...and wow...he was doing a concert at the Beaufort Intergalactic Storytelling Festival!! It was the city's first story festival and it was happening on Sat Mar 10th! So we ordered tickets for the day so we could take the workshops and see all the tellings. Beaufort SC is about 1hr and a half's drive from where we are camped. It was a long day and the forecast was rain...but I so wanted my husband to see John McCutcheon LIVE! We went... weather was cold but sunny...saw/heard Natalie Daise who is wonderful teller of Gullah stories and she tells other stories as well. She made that stage hum with life. Dolores Hydock performed a truly marvelous show called "In Her Own Fashion" about Ninette Griffith who led a wonderful life. Dolores Hydock interviewed Ninette and then wrote this show. Then we heard John McCutcheon play many instruments such as the banjo, Hammer dulcimer, fiddle, autoharp, guitar and himself! His personal stories were hilarious and moving. His songs were from many sources and brought alive folk singers long gone to be heard again. It was a great day...tired but happy we drove back to Mount Pleasant ..through this beautiful Low Country as it is called...The very bright moon was shining on the water...the tide was high...there were a couple of groups of deer along the roadside. A magical evening drive.
We are now in Daylight savings time so I am totally confused...I lost an hr then gained an hr and lost it again ...I think.
Monday...which is yesterday, I took off with a new rv friend to go shopping. We both wanted to look at a grocery/market attached to the Boone Plantation...so we left and ended up going to Isles of Palms to just see the sea...wandered along the street looking into stores and I was treated to lunch at Coconut Joe's...a beach restaurant another friend loves to stop at. So we enjoyed the view and food and company. This rv friend is from Canada and the four of us have been sharing stories and info re parks to see. On our way back to camp, my friend wanted to stop at a drugstore and we noticed a Sweetgrass basket maker with her stall at the edge of the parking lot. Note: there is massive construction all along the Sweetgrass hwy...there was last yr as well so I wonder how the sellers can get their custumers to stop! Anyway we went over to talk to the weaver of baskets. Mary Rouse is her name. She was so interesting to talk to...I loved the baskets but I had no cash available. I do want a basket to take with me...so I will return to her stall.
That evening we shared a drink with our friends who left today for further north when another Canadian came to say hello...he and his wife were invited to have a drink and LOL they were going to the same camp today...and they have connections of neighbours back in Canada...it was fun to listen to the info come out and connect. A fun evening.
This morning we went over and said good bye. We have exchanged info. Great to meet them and talk of our adventures and families. There is some rain today and after hot sun this aft...it is getting very very grey out there. As we drove around this aft...the flowering bushes are so colourful! The small insects are out early too.
Our daughters are fine and in touch via the net when they can.
The birds are calling ...the leaves are opening...Life is good.
Sunshine & Laughter
Anne
I have noticed with seniors since my husband has retired...there is a major activity we all do...shop!! I am not talking about spending tons of money....please....I am talking about the simple action of 'shopping'...getting around the stores...reading ALL the labels...checking and rechecking the shopping list...and then the let us say having 'drifting ' moments...where I am caught up in going down one aisle and then my attention gets diverted and when I pause to consider what I am doing I have forgotten what I wanted to pick up in the first place...NOW you would think that shopping with a partner and a list would help! Hah! But it does end occasionally with a delightful purchase.
Thank you for listening to my rant.
Catch cont' in Mexico Beach FL about late Feb:
One walk along the beach was very full of loud waves crashing on the sand. We were told that that is a good time to collect shells...so we went back to the beach a bit later and collected shells. We had our rubber boots on...it felt fun to walk along the water with the boots on...though my husband got intrigued with some shells under the water and a wave came up and said 'hello' into his boot! He scooped and I picked...then I cleaned and sorted the shells back at the camp ground. Some neighbours came over to talk to me because I'd been 'sick' and not socializing very much. It was a lovely aft...and great fun to learn about the shells.. One kind gentleman who collects many shells gave me a special type of sand dollar shell...so fragile and beautiful.
We had pizza with our friends and shared stories and travel information. It was so good to be with them again. Then there was laundry, the Oscars and more rain. Our friends gave us a wonderful final dinner ...fab home cooking...before we left for Charleston. We will be seeing them back in Canada later in the spring.
On Feb 29th...Leap day...we departed Rustic Sands heading toward Jacksonville taking hwys 71 then 20 and then 10...at Jacksonville we took the bypass and then got onto Hwy 95 and when we crossed into Georgia we took exit 1 to County Oaks Campground( a Good Sam park). A lovely camp...very dog friendly and restful. We had camped there last yr over night...we got a pizza (brochures in office)..an excellent pizza and watched a movie.
On March 1st we headed north on Hwy I 95. We stopped for lunch in Savannah. This city had been recommended as a stop by many people. We knew it was a short stop...but we managed to tour of the Owens-Thomas House and then went to see the Jepson Museum. The town squares are enchanting...old treed oasis (es) within a busy city. The sidewalks are OLD thus very uneven...every building oozes stories. I got a story 'fix' buying "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil"...it is a LOL book that tickles all the senses so far. It is a place I have to see again. Oh and on the way back to the car (we did not tkae the rv downtown!!)we saw a gallery: Liquid Sands Glass Gallery http://www.liquidsandsglassgallery.com/ A feast for the eyes and the heart! Of course we had to go inside and explore.
We then drove north...oh and as we departed Savannah...I see a small black thing bouce out from under the rv ahead of me.... the road was bumpy... and we just could not stop so I told my husband over the cb we have and we kept driving. We took a smaller road for a while then the hwy and then we took hwy 17 to Charleston. We got to the bypass here when traffic was increasing near the end of business day....then our GPS was sending us one road...then it said to turn around and go back on the bypass...we pulled over and had a right 'fit'. Made a decision...at times making any decision gets you down the road...we did drive what seemed a long long way...but we came out to another busy road and recognized where we were in Mount Pleasant and the KOA had good signs and we were close. Arrived at KOA about 6 ish pm! Warmly welcomed by staff and friends we had met last yr!
First day here , I rushed off to the Gullah event at Pinckney park and then in the evening there was a potluck for our friend who isn't staying in camp this year but she visits. We have kept in touch all year and it was so so good to see her again! It was good to catch up on news with many others at the camp as well. Great night was had!
We met a Canadian couple staying for a week...so many things to share and laughs. The night of the full Moon we all went to a local restaurant recommended by the manager here at the KOA..it is called the See Wee Restaurant. We liked it very much. I had shrimp seasoned the way they like to do it. Spicey (mmm) but so good and collards and red rice! It was a great evening.
As we settled into camp, planning our next moves and researching places and things to see...I checked out John McCutcheon's site ..he is a fab musician and storyteller...and wow...he was doing a concert at the Beaufort Intergalactic Storytelling Festival!! It was the city's first story festival and it was happening on Sat Mar 10th! So we ordered tickets for the day so we could take the workshops and see all the tellings. Beaufort SC is about 1hr and a half's drive from where we are camped. It was a long day and the forecast was rain...but I so wanted my husband to see John McCutcheon LIVE! We went... weather was cold but sunny...saw/heard Natalie Daise who is wonderful teller of Gullah stories and she tells other stories as well. She made that stage hum with life. Dolores Hydock performed a truly marvelous show called "In Her Own Fashion" about Ninette Griffith who led a wonderful life. Dolores Hydock interviewed Ninette and then wrote this show. Then we heard John McCutcheon play many instruments such as the banjo, Hammer dulcimer, fiddle, autoharp, guitar and himself! His personal stories were hilarious and moving. His songs were from many sources and brought alive folk singers long gone to be heard again. It was a great day...tired but happy we drove back to Mount Pleasant ..through this beautiful Low Country as it is called...The very bright moon was shining on the water...the tide was high...there were a couple of groups of deer along the roadside. A magical evening drive.
We are now in Daylight savings time so I am totally confused...I lost an hr then gained an hr and lost it again ...I think.
Monday...which is yesterday, I took off with a new rv friend to go shopping. We both wanted to look at a grocery/market attached to the Boone Plantation...so we left and ended up going to Isles of Palms to just see the sea...wandered along the street looking into stores and I was treated to lunch at Coconut Joe's...a beach restaurant another friend loves to stop at. So we enjoyed the view and food and company. This rv friend is from Canada and the four of us have been sharing stories and info re parks to see. On our way back to camp, my friend wanted to stop at a drugstore and we noticed a Sweetgrass basket maker with her stall at the edge of the parking lot. Note: there is massive construction all along the Sweetgrass hwy...there was last yr as well so I wonder how the sellers can get their custumers to stop! Anyway we went over to talk to the weaver of baskets. Mary Rouse is her name. She was so interesting to talk to...I loved the baskets but I had no cash available. I do want a basket to take with me...so I will return to her stall.
That evening we shared a drink with our friends who left today for further north when another Canadian came to say hello...he and his wife were invited to have a drink and LOL they were going to the same camp today...and they have connections of neighbours back in Canada...it was fun to listen to the info come out and connect. A fun evening.
This morning we went over and said good bye. We have exchanged info. Great to meet them and talk of our adventures and families. There is some rain today and after hot sun this aft...it is getting very very grey out there. As we drove around this aft...the flowering bushes are so colourful! The small insects are out early too.
Our daughters are fine and in touch via the net when they can.
The birds are calling ...the leaves are opening...Life is good.
Sunshine & Laughter
Anne
Hello from Mount Pleasant in March 2012
There is a soft spring rain falling today. The leaves are just unfolding in the trees and the birds are calling out to possible mates.
We are back at the KOA in Mount Pleasant/Charleston SC. Received a warm welcome from everyone who works here. Good to see friends that we met last year and to meet new rv friends. We have a lovely campsite on the end of the row near friends and lots of greenery. The canopy is up...the lantern on the table and I bought 2 small pots of trailing pansies just to add some sense of garden! It is peaceful here and quickly feels like 'home'. Peter remembered where our fave bakery is.
Oh and the manager here...bless her....remembered that I am a storyteller and interested in the Gullah Culture...so she told me of an event the day after we arrived which was happening at a nearby National Park which was the Pinckney Plantation. So it was just pouring rain but I went anyway...well dressed and rubber booted. It was a wonderful afternoon! The event was well attended despite the rain and thunder.Veronica Gerald & Jesse Gantt started off with an introduction of the culture while some food was cooking...it was so enticing and the oyster soup was warming all through on such a rainy day. Alada "Muima" Shinault-Small told some tales in the Gullah language and NIA Productions did some drumming for the dancers and the tale teller. Wonderful afternoon.
Sorry to have been so silent...let me just work backward here a little to catch you up.
Our last week in New Port Richey:
We were introduced to Honeymoon Island by camping friends who do bird trails in the area. They took us with them...even delaying their usual early time...I am slower to get going in the mornings. We walked the Osprey trail seeing many pairs near nests....the trail ended at an eagle's nest with 2 young birds. I noted that while the people took pics of the babies in the nest one of the parent bird sat in a tree behind us and watched us! Along the trail we also saw an owl close to a nest...on a later visit Peter saw an owl on the nest so he waited patiently and got a picture of her. We had a lovely picnic lunch. Honeymoon Island is so peaceful and has a variety of spots for enjoying the beach or the trail. We went back on our own later in the week.
The next day we went to Howard Park to see the sunset on the beach and we followed a group of Dolphins feeding and they swam around the island we were on...it was so lovely...they came in quite close to shore and the fish were jumping. The dolphins at one point were blowing loudly and making sounds ...the sunset was glorious as well. We have flown our kites here...but there is so much more of this lovely park to see. We then stopped in Tarpon Springs to explore...there is a big Greek community there and great food.
The next day we drove into St. Petersburg to see the Dali Museum. It was so wonderful. Unique building for showing such a fine artist's work. We took our time and wandered about...I fell in love with a couple of works that I hadn't seen...it was so good to read what was said about works I had studied. One of the guides overheard my husband & I talking about one huge painting and as we left the area he stopped us and asked if I had sunglasses...then he held them up so we were looking back at the painting...and wow the image was completely different! Neat. We also enjoyed a student exhibit which was inspired by Dali esque works...an excellent display. We had a lovely dinner at The Moon Under The Water over looking the harbour. http://www.themoonunderthewater.com/ This eatery was recommended by a salesperson in the Chihuly Store...it was too late to explore the Gallery with his amazing glass sculptures. But we enjoyed brousing the store and were careful if we looked closely at anything! His imagination and craft take me out of myself every time I view his work. I am sorry that I don't have the site to hand right now.
We spent our last time in this camp...talking with new friends and tidying and packing. We bought a small steamer with a hanging ironing board because of the space saving and the method of cleaning. During this time we were also following our older daughter's trip in Vietnam! Neat to see the pics!
On Feb 1 we moved camp...drove north on Hwy 19...stopped for lunch at theee Suwanee River Park in Fanning Springs FL. Lovely drive...no traffic to speak of. We drove along the shore of the Florida Panhandle...enjoying the views and we did stop and check out an rv park in Carrabelle...within walking to the public Beach. Then arrived at Rustic Sands rv park in Mexico Beach, FL...losing an hr due to crossing the time line into Central time. It had been a 6hr drive just rollin' along. It was raining...and our Canadian friends were expecting us. We had a lovely spot in Rustic Sands park...beside a little park area and under 80 ft pine trees. The earth was sandy...the air full of the Gulf sea air. My beach walks started again. We attended a piano concert in Appachicola given by Bob Milne. We had a lovely dinner celebrating a birthday and friendship and artistry.
So a month in Mexico Beach with walks and visiting Cape San Blas again to fly our kites. Sunny day...lots of wind and waves. Yes I'll get some pics up soon. On one walk there were otters in a pond...shore birds in plenty...oh and MUCH colder temps than what we were used to. I didn't know that I was coming down with a terrible sinus cold which lasted about 10 days...very painful and not comfortable being sick in the rv for a longish time. There were also airpressure changes as well and rain...so I was not always a happy camper! We were given some fab dinners by our friends...my husband went on the morning walks for a while. We also watched movies more than usual. When I had some energy back we drove up to Wewahitchka to visit the apiaries where Tupelo Honey is made. Also took a lovely drive into cypress swamp areas. Neat to see the small inland towns. Stopped at Gaskin Park where 2 rivers meet...boat launch area. Managed a pier walk in Mexico Beach to see the sun set...wow so gorgeous.
I was very disappointed in the choice of breed for the Westminister Dog this year!! To me, the judge condoned the continued breeding of a dog that can no longer function as a dog! I wanted the Dalmation to win.
Valentine's day I watched "An Affair to Remember" and cried again.
My friend in Mexico Beach took me to a fab clothing sale at the Goodwill store...amazing stuff and a 50% sale.
We both had a cold...coughing and low energy...I was getting better as my husband was not feeling well. Oh and we had a Tornado Watch...living in an rv the weather becomes very important. We discussed what our plan was and I prepped by packing some things in case we had to get out of the rv. ( hah a little madness and some scotch helped me through this) It did STORM that night...with LOUD thunder. The rain was gone the next morning...the puddles were spashable!
Mardi Gras we got our mail from home and we went out for dinner in Port St Joe... to the Sunset Coastal Grill where we ate wonderful food and watched the sun set over the Gulf of Mexico. Great outing after being ill in the rv for so long.
We did drive into Panama City for shopping...drove to the harbour and explored a new road outof the city....due to construction. Once was enough...the mill smell was strong but we avoided the pile up from construction.
I am stopping here for the time being...a dash out with my husband.
The sun shines right now.
Wishing everyone well.
Sunshine & Laughter
anne
We are back at the KOA in Mount Pleasant/Charleston SC. Received a warm welcome from everyone who works here. Good to see friends that we met last year and to meet new rv friends. We have a lovely campsite on the end of the row near friends and lots of greenery. The canopy is up...the lantern on the table and I bought 2 small pots of trailing pansies just to add some sense of garden! It is peaceful here and quickly feels like 'home'. Peter remembered where our fave bakery is.
Oh and the manager here...bless her....remembered that I am a storyteller and interested in the Gullah Culture...so she told me of an event the day after we arrived which was happening at a nearby National Park which was the Pinckney Plantation. So it was just pouring rain but I went anyway...well dressed and rubber booted. It was a wonderful afternoon! The event was well attended despite the rain and thunder.Veronica Gerald & Jesse Gantt started off with an introduction of the culture while some food was cooking...it was so enticing and the oyster soup was warming all through on such a rainy day. Alada "Muima" Shinault-Small told some tales in the Gullah language and NIA Productions did some drumming for the dancers and the tale teller. Wonderful afternoon.
Sorry to have been so silent...let me just work backward here a little to catch you up.
Our last week in New Port Richey:
We were introduced to Honeymoon Island by camping friends who do bird trails in the area. They took us with them...even delaying their usual early time...I am slower to get going in the mornings. We walked the Osprey trail seeing many pairs near nests....the trail ended at an eagle's nest with 2 young birds. I noted that while the people took pics of the babies in the nest one of the parent bird sat in a tree behind us and watched us! Along the trail we also saw an owl close to a nest...on a later visit Peter saw an owl on the nest so he waited patiently and got a picture of her. We had a lovely picnic lunch. Honeymoon Island is so peaceful and has a variety of spots for enjoying the beach or the trail. We went back on our own later in the week.
The next day we went to Howard Park to see the sunset on the beach and we followed a group of Dolphins feeding and they swam around the island we were on...it was so lovely...they came in quite close to shore and the fish were jumping. The dolphins at one point were blowing loudly and making sounds ...the sunset was glorious as well. We have flown our kites here...but there is so much more of this lovely park to see. We then stopped in Tarpon Springs to explore...there is a big Greek community there and great food.
The next day we drove into St. Petersburg to see the Dali Museum. It was so wonderful. Unique building for showing such a fine artist's work. We took our time and wandered about...I fell in love with a couple of works that I hadn't seen...it was so good to read what was said about works I had studied. One of the guides overheard my husband & I talking about one huge painting and as we left the area he stopped us and asked if I had sunglasses...then he held them up so we were looking back at the painting...and wow the image was completely different! Neat. We also enjoyed a student exhibit which was inspired by Dali esque works...an excellent display. We had a lovely dinner at The Moon Under The Water over looking the harbour. http://www.themoonunderthewater.com/ This eatery was recommended by a salesperson in the Chihuly Store...it was too late to explore the Gallery with his amazing glass sculptures. But we enjoyed brousing the store and were careful if we looked closely at anything! His imagination and craft take me out of myself every time I view his work. I am sorry that I don't have the site to hand right now.
We spent our last time in this camp...talking with new friends and tidying and packing. We bought a small steamer with a hanging ironing board because of the space saving and the method of cleaning. During this time we were also following our older daughter's trip in Vietnam! Neat to see the pics!
On Feb 1 we moved camp...drove north on Hwy 19...stopped for lunch at theee Suwanee River Park in Fanning Springs FL. Lovely drive...no traffic to speak of. We drove along the shore of the Florida Panhandle...enjoying the views and we did stop and check out an rv park in Carrabelle...within walking to the public Beach. Then arrived at Rustic Sands rv park in Mexico Beach, FL...losing an hr due to crossing the time line into Central time. It had been a 6hr drive just rollin' along. It was raining...and our Canadian friends were expecting us. We had a lovely spot in Rustic Sands park...beside a little park area and under 80 ft pine trees. The earth was sandy...the air full of the Gulf sea air. My beach walks started again. We attended a piano concert in Appachicola given by Bob Milne. We had a lovely dinner celebrating a birthday and friendship and artistry.
So a month in Mexico Beach with walks and visiting Cape San Blas again to fly our kites. Sunny day...lots of wind and waves. Yes I'll get some pics up soon. On one walk there were otters in a pond...shore birds in plenty...oh and MUCH colder temps than what we were used to. I didn't know that I was coming down with a terrible sinus cold which lasted about 10 days...very painful and not comfortable being sick in the rv for a longish time. There were also airpressure changes as well and rain...so I was not always a happy camper! We were given some fab dinners by our friends...my husband went on the morning walks for a while. We also watched movies more than usual. When I had some energy back we drove up to Wewahitchka to visit the apiaries where Tupelo Honey is made. Also took a lovely drive into cypress swamp areas. Neat to see the small inland towns. Stopped at Gaskin Park where 2 rivers meet...boat launch area. Managed a pier walk in Mexico Beach to see the sun set...wow so gorgeous.
I was very disappointed in the choice of breed for the Westminister Dog this year!! To me, the judge condoned the continued breeding of a dog that can no longer function as a dog! I wanted the Dalmation to win.
Valentine's day I watched "An Affair to Remember" and cried again.
My friend in Mexico Beach took me to a fab clothing sale at the Goodwill store...amazing stuff and a 50% sale.
We both had a cold...coughing and low energy...I was getting better as my husband was not feeling well. Oh and we had a Tornado Watch...living in an rv the weather becomes very important. We discussed what our plan was and I prepped by packing some things in case we had to get out of the rv. ( hah a little madness and some scotch helped me through this) It did STORM that night...with LOUD thunder. The rain was gone the next morning...the puddles were spashable!
Mardi Gras we got our mail from home and we went out for dinner in Port St Joe... to the Sunset Coastal Grill where we ate wonderful food and watched the sun set over the Gulf of Mexico. Great outing after being ill in the rv for so long.
We did drive into Panama City for shopping...drove to the harbour and explored a new road outof the city....due to construction. Once was enough...the mill smell was strong but we avoided the pile up from construction.
I am stopping here for the time being...a dash out with my husband.
The sun shines right now.
Wishing everyone well.
Sunshine & Laughter
anne
Sunday, January 22, 2012
From summery Florida!
Hello everyone. We are having great weather in Florida this year...even the Floridians are surprised. We are still parked in 7 Springs camp and enjoying it. I am pleased that there is also a big recycling area so my garbage to the dump is much much less.
Here are some details of the past couple of weeks:
Jan 9th we drove out to the beach at Howard Park which is out into the Gulf a little. This park is near Tarpon Springs. The day was sunny with light winds so we did fly kites and talked to people on the beach. I took pics so will try & get them up later.
Jan 11th we drove into Tampa Bay to a huge RV show billed as the biggest in the US. It was huge. The weather was stormy...lots of rain which made me think it would be good to view this type of show...not realizing that most of the exhibits were outside! We were dressed well and didn't get too wet. Good to talk to rvers from all over... and to look at some of the latest models. Lots of stories exchanged...lots of walking...and for me,many many rv bathrooms to check out!! A long long day but rewarding in many ways.
Jan 13th we ended up moving to a different site in the park for hook up reasons.We are on a lovely corner site. We also booked some future rv camps.
On Martin Luther King weekend, which is a holiday in the US, we watched football games...had a long chat with a couple that hikes local trails and watches birds. We have many things in common and they offered to show us some of the trails. We also got our mail with cards from Christmas and presents from the family...felt good to connect. We also cancelled a magazine (Zoomers) when I received an email from them saying that as I'd requested they were extending my payment for the magazine. I knew nothing of this and did not like this approach to get me to renew. So we phoned and canelled the magazine.
Jan 17th we drove to Orlando or rather Winter Park to view Cornell Fine Arts Museum which is on the Rollins College campus. Unfortunately the Museum was closed for viewing but we did get some info from them...the staff were so helpful when we mentioned that nothing was posted on their site about being closed before we drove over.This Museum did look wonderful and we do hope to return to view the exhibits. We did ask what might be another art gallery to visit in the area and they mentioned the Morse Museum which houses a huge Tiffany collection. So we went there and really enjoyed the exhibits. We also explored the community of Winter Park which was lovely. Bought a fab jacket at a shop called Wearable Art http://www.wearableart-sl.com/ .
Jan 19th we went hiking and birding with the couple we met at this rv park. They know the local trails and bird spots so well.The weather was beautiful...making strolling the shoreline so enjoyable. I fell in love with one shorebird!!! We are a match! He is called a Black Skimmer and he has a very dramatic face...mask -like to me. His unique beak is bright red with a black tip but the lower beak is about 1/3 longer than the upper beak. Thus perfect for skimming along the surface of water for food. When I looked him up in the Simthsonian Birds of N. America I fell in love all over again. He is described as crepuscular (meaning active at dawn & dusk) and partially nocturnal,,,BUT "Spends much of day loafing on beaches." My Mascot! I enjoyed watching them on the beach...loafing about. We lunched at Anclote Gulf Park and enjoyed sharing the air with our new friends. Their knowledge of the area added so much richness to the bird watching.
Jan 20th we drove to St. Petersburg to visit the Dali Museum. This is a gorgeous building right at the harbour. We spent all day there...so much to see. When we used our new North American pass we were treated as members. At one painting "Gala Contemplating the Mediterrean Sea" or 'Dali's Lincoln' a security guard approached us after we viewed it and were about to walk away. He talked about the painting and our interest and then asked me if I had sunglasses! I brought them out of my purse and he held them up and showed me the reflection of the painting in them. Wow...we could clearly see the portrait of Lincoln in the reflection!! Another painting I liked is called " Still Life - Fast Moving"...so much detail ..so many various techniques done with such humour. We lunched at the cafe...excellent food. We also enjoyed a student exhibit in one gallery that was about surrealism...some exciting work from the students.A long, lovely day.
Jan 21st our daughter in Asia sent us an itinerary for her vacation so we can follow her trip on a map. We rested and did some domestic tasks.
Today the 22 we slept in, washed the sides of the rv, researched art galleries and museums. It became so hot this morning that we have turned on the air conditioner. Hah opening a cupboard that I haven't looked at in weeks...everything in it seems new!
The weather has been so summery. There are Ibis groups walking about the sites and a pair of Sandhill Cranes as well as the Anhinga! A pair of nesting Osprey fly over often.
Yes life is very good.
Wishing everyone a Happy Chinese New Year!
Sunshine & Laughter
Anne
Here are some details of the past couple of weeks:
Jan 9th we drove out to the beach at Howard Park which is out into the Gulf a little. This park is near Tarpon Springs. The day was sunny with light winds so we did fly kites and talked to people on the beach. I took pics so will try & get them up later.
Jan 11th we drove into Tampa Bay to a huge RV show billed as the biggest in the US. It was huge. The weather was stormy...lots of rain which made me think it would be good to view this type of show...not realizing that most of the exhibits were outside! We were dressed well and didn't get too wet. Good to talk to rvers from all over... and to look at some of the latest models. Lots of stories exchanged...lots of walking...and for me,many many rv bathrooms to check out!! A long long day but rewarding in many ways.
Jan 13th we ended up moving to a different site in the park for hook up reasons.We are on a lovely corner site. We also booked some future rv camps.
On Martin Luther King weekend, which is a holiday in the US, we watched football games...had a long chat with a couple that hikes local trails and watches birds. We have many things in common and they offered to show us some of the trails. We also got our mail with cards from Christmas and presents from the family...felt good to connect. We also cancelled a magazine (Zoomers) when I received an email from them saying that as I'd requested they were extending my payment for the magazine. I knew nothing of this and did not like this approach to get me to renew. So we phoned and canelled the magazine.
Jan 17th we drove to Orlando or rather Winter Park to view Cornell Fine Arts Museum which is on the Rollins College campus. Unfortunately the Museum was closed for viewing but we did get some info from them...the staff were so helpful when we mentioned that nothing was posted on their site about being closed before we drove over.This Museum did look wonderful and we do hope to return to view the exhibits. We did ask what might be another art gallery to visit in the area and they mentioned the Morse Museum which houses a huge Tiffany collection. So we went there and really enjoyed the exhibits. We also explored the community of Winter Park which was lovely. Bought a fab jacket at a shop called Wearable Art http://www.wearableart-sl.com/ .
Jan 19th we went hiking and birding with the couple we met at this rv park. They know the local trails and bird spots so well.The weather was beautiful...making strolling the shoreline so enjoyable. I fell in love with one shorebird!!! We are a match! He is called a Black Skimmer and he has a very dramatic face...mask -like to me. His unique beak is bright red with a black tip but the lower beak is about 1/3 longer than the upper beak. Thus perfect for skimming along the surface of water for food. When I looked him up in the Simthsonian Birds of N. America I fell in love all over again. He is described as crepuscular (meaning active at dawn & dusk) and partially nocturnal,,,BUT "Spends much of day loafing on beaches." My Mascot! I enjoyed watching them on the beach...loafing about. We lunched at Anclote Gulf Park and enjoyed sharing the air with our new friends. Their knowledge of the area added so much richness to the bird watching.
Jan 20th we drove to St. Petersburg to visit the Dali Museum. This is a gorgeous building right at the harbour. We spent all day there...so much to see. When we used our new North American pass we were treated as members. At one painting "Gala Contemplating the Mediterrean Sea" or 'Dali's Lincoln' a security guard approached us after we viewed it and were about to walk away. He talked about the painting and our interest and then asked me if I had sunglasses! I brought them out of my purse and he held them up and showed me the reflection of the painting in them. Wow...we could clearly see the portrait of Lincoln in the reflection!! Another painting I liked is called " Still Life - Fast Moving"...so much detail ..so many various techniques done with such humour. We lunched at the cafe...excellent food. We also enjoyed a student exhibit in one gallery that was about surrealism...some exciting work from the students.A long, lovely day.
Jan 21st our daughter in Asia sent us an itinerary for her vacation so we can follow her trip on a map. We rested and did some domestic tasks.
Today the 22 we slept in, washed the sides of the rv, researched art galleries and museums. It became so hot this morning that we have turned on the air conditioner. Hah opening a cupboard that I haven't looked at in weeks...everything in it seems new!
The weather has been so summery. There are Ibis groups walking about the sites and a pair of Sandhill Cranes as well as the Anhinga! A pair of nesting Osprey fly over often.
Yes life is very good.
Wishing everyone a Happy Chinese New Year!
Sunshine & Laughter
Anne
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